Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 11:40:36 -0700
Reply-To: "Lee F. Schelin" <lschelin@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Lee F. Schelin" <lschelin@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject: Frequency of Oil Changes
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Ken: In the 60's I worked for Standard Oil of California and when I first started
working there in 1961 Standard recommended changing oil and a lube job every
2,500 miles and changing the oil filter every other oil change.
Then in the mid 60's they brought out the "New" Improved RPM Multi-viscosity oil
and they promoted it as 5,000 mile oil but recommended changing both oil and oil
filter every 5,000 miles. They extended the lube job frequency to 10,000 miles
and later car companies extended to lube jobs to 100,000 due to the new sealed
systems.
The frequency of changing oil depends on the driving habits of the driver. During
the late 70's I owned a new VW Scirocco and drove from Redlands CA to downtown LA
everyday to work, 63 miles each way on the San Bernardino Freeway, I changed oil
and filter every 10,000 miles and the engine was clean as a whistle @ 120K miles,
on the other hand I owned a new Porsche and drove 10 miles to work in heavy
traffic, changed oil every 2,500 miles and the engine was a mess.
Lee...
> In a message dated 7/6/99 11:10:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> jfritz@DECORAH.K12.IA.US writes:
>
> << Mike,
> I just had a mechanic swear up and down that synth oil should go 7000. He
> even advocated just changing the filter after 3500 to drain less oil and just
> top it off to go all the way to 7000.
>
> Sounds crazy to me but I've heard of people doing it. I wouldn't mind
> getting 5000 out of a synth change though. Thats how far we're travelling in
> a couple of weeks and I wouldn't mind eliminating the oil change enroute.
> Does the list have an opinion about this?
>
> Jim in Iowa >>
>
> Jim, I've heard mechanics swear alot (try to refrain from it myself) but that
> doesn't change basic principals of what oil does.
>
> Oil does a few different jobs. It lubricates, suspends foreign matter,
> cools, provides a cushion between the bearing surfaces, and keeps the engine
> clean internally.
> If we were going on lubrication properties alone I would say that synthetic
> oil would probably last alot longer than 7,000 miles as it just doesn't break
> down like normal oil does. However the key thing to think about here is
> keeping the engine clean internally.
>
> When you start up your engine, before it warms up, fuel gets past the rings
> and into the oil. After you shut the engine down for the day, water
> condenses and gets in the oil. Also combustion byproducts get in the oil too
> (before warmup). All of these combine together to form acids in the engine.
> If you drive your van for over 30 mins a day, the water will evaporate out
> but the only way to get the rest of the stuff out is by changing the oil.
>
> The reason why mechanics, and folks don't want to change the synthetic oil as
> much is because it is more expensive. However, I would rather run some dino
> oil and change it every 3000-5000 miles, than put in sythetic oil and extend
> the change intervals. You are just keeping that acidic junk in the motor
> longer and it allows more to accumulate to the point where it could actually
> do some damage.
>
> My 2 cents on the subject. It is worth as much as you paid for it.
> Ken Wilford
> Van-Again
> John 3:16
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